Unexploded Ordnance Kills 10 Afghan Children

Ten Afghan girls between the ages of 9 and 13 were killed, and two others were wounded and in critical condition

Ten Afghan girls, aged from nine to 13, were killed on Monday when an unexploded bomb or landmine detonated as they were out gathering firewood near their village in eastern Afghanistan.

Years of war have made Afghanistan one of the most heavily landmined countries in the world and, as has been the case in Indochina, unexploded US bombs will continue to kill and maim innocent Afghanistan for years, probably decades, to come.

In addition to the ten girls killed, two more young girls were seriously wounded and in critical condition according to the Associated Press.

War has left Afghanistan “with 6,000 known hazardous areas, danger zones that disrupt farming, housing, resettlement and development in 1,900 communities across Afghanistan,” reported Matthew Hay Brown at The Baltimore Sun back in July.

“An average of 33 people per month were injured or killed in Afghanistan last year by such munitions. More than half the victims were boys ages 7 to 14,” Brown added.

Author: John Glaser

John Glaser writes for Antiwar.com.